


The Moments In Between

by Bymboogles



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Childhood, Childhood Friends, Fluff, Injury, M/M, Tokyo Nationals Arc (Haikyuu!!), Unrequited Crush, Volleyball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25112017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bymboogles/pseuds/Bymboogles
Summary: The moments Kuroo spends exploring life with his childhood friends, old and new.Then, about 10 years later, an old friend coincidentally is met again.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma & Kuroo Tetsurou, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Kuroo Tetsurou & Original Character(s), Kuroo Tetsurou/Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	The Moments In Between

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to a Kuroken fic that I actually enjoy! I'm super proud of this one, as it is probably the fastest I've ever typed up a fic.
> 
> Anyways, the beginning of this was based off of some real life things, and then the rest is fictional.
> 
> I know some people don't like to read cc/oc or cc & oc, but let me tell you, this is a very heavy Kuroken story. The oc is just there for the plot. Besides, I feel kind of uncomfortable calling him an oc, beacuse he was only created for the sake of this fic, and will probably never show up again unless I decide to write a sequel for this.
> 
> With all that out of the way, please enjoy The Moments In Between.

Two boys' laughter could always be heard through the neighborhood. Kuroo Tetsurou and Saito Haru had practically lived together for the past seven years.

They walk to school together, get in trouble together, and most importantly, play volleyball together.

The boys play on the same team after school, and then among themselves at home. On weekends, Kuroo always makes sure to grab Haru before re-watching sports games on tv.

When they walk to school, all they talk about is each other. Haru, the easy going golden child, and Kuroo, the shy kid with strange hair. The pair is _inseparable_.

One summer weekend comes a festival, and the boys meet each other in front of their houses dressed in bright yukata with excited smiles to match. A red yukata for Kuroo, and a gold yukata for Haru to match his hair.

Haru wins 3 goldfish that night. The boy never seems to try, but always returns with full arms. Kuroo considers his friend the luckiest person in the world.

When Haru's birthday arrives that year, the entire class is invited to celebrate. While opening gifts, Kuroo sits right next to the birthday boy, both of them beaming the entire day.

Some weekends, Kuroo and Haru visit animal shelters. Walking past the silky cats, colorful birds, and small rodents, the boys always visit the dogs. Kuroo prefers the large ones, and loves to look at golden retrievers in particular. Haru simply enjoys small dogs, and finds joy in watching Boston terriers.

The night before his eighth birthday, Kuroo creeps out his bedroom window and into Haru's home. This has slowly become a common thing as Kuroo's parents bicker back and forth.

Halfway through the night, Kuroo is shaken awake by his mother. She's crying.

"Mom?" Kuroo calls out, reaching to wipe her tears. "Mom, what's wrong?"

Still half asleep, the only thing he hears is, "I love you, Tetsurou."

Before the boy knows it, his mother disappears.

Kuroo returns home the next morning to see people dragging furniture out the front door.

"Tetsurou!" a gruff voice comes from the garage. "Get in the car, we're moving."

Kuroo's eyes widen as his dad speaks of something unthinkable to the child. Moving? As in _moving away?_

The boy stumbles forward. "But... Haru is here."

"We're leaving, let's go."

The child is promptly thrown over his father's shoulders and into the van, both of them crying until no more tears remain.

Things change drastically after the move into his grandparents' house.

Kuroo now does everything by himself. The walks to school are quiet. Study nights are quiet.

On the rare occasions Kuroo smiles, it's during the moments he thinks about Haru. But those thoughts make him sad too.

One day he feels someone's eyes on him, and there grows to be a creeping sensation whenever he walks or shuts his window. It's even there when he practices volleyball in the backyard.

Then he runs into someone on the way to school.

It's a small boy with black hair that stops messily at his chin, and he has beautiful gold eyes that stare down at the cement.

Kuroo looks him up and down. The boy had walked out of the house next door!

With that encounter, a small spark implants itself in Kuroo's chest.

The small boy knocks on the door the next day.

"Hello," he says, fiddling with his fingers as he speaks. "My mom wants him to play with me."

The request is addressed to Kuroo, who hides behind his father's legs.

Kuroo's father chuckles. "Go ahead, Tetsurou. You need a new playmate."

Shyly and slowly, Kuroo walks towards the small boy, and his dad shuts the door.

"My name is Kenma," the boy introduces bluntly.

"I-I'm Kuroo Tetsurou!"

"And when you hit it like this, everybody thinks it's going over there, but..."

Kuroo speaks on and on and on. The times they play volleyball are really the only times Kenma sees Kuroo talk so much.

But Kuroo is starting junior high soon, which means going to a different school than Kenma.

They've known each other for years, but time felt much longer than that as they went back and forth between each other's homes almost every day.

"Where are you going to go?"

Kuroo's question jolts Kenma into focus.

"What do you mean?" Kenma asks. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Will you try to get into the same junior high as me?" Kuroo clarifies. "That way we can still see each other at school!"

He tosses a volleyball into the air, but it rolls down the grassy hill when he tries to catch it.

Kuroo chases it while Kenma watches him and thinks. _Attend junior high with Kuroo?_

That means knowing someone before walking into the building. But Kuroo is probably just asking because he doesn't want either of them to be lonely at school.

Kuroo returns with the white ball under his arm, a patch of dirt on his face where he must've slipped in mud.

"Kuro." Kenma talks softly, and lifts his chin. "I want to go to junior high with you."

When Kuroo smiles, it's as bright as the sun.

"I'll be waiting for you, Kenma!"

Kuroo gets his first girlfriend in his last year of junior high.

By the time Kenma passes the school entrance exam, Kuroo is growing out of his introverted shell, surprising the younger one by how much can change in just one year.

Kuroo has already made a spot on the junior high volleyball team, and is rapidly begining to shoot up in height. As one of the team's tallest star players, everybody notices him. How could they not?

Gradually, Kuroo's friend group increases from one person to two, from three people to four, and then eventually to include over six people.

And despite Kenma's dislike for large crowds, he is there to support everything that Kuroo does. People in Kuroo's grade tease about him babying a kouhai, but Kuroo always laughs it off. His laugh is loud and snarky now, much different than it had been five years ago.

Towards the end of the year, Kuroo's girlfriend splits ties with him, complaining that he spends more time with Kenma than her.

"You're not mad?" Kenma asks on the day of the breakup. "You were together for a few months."

Kuroo shrugs as they walk home. "What she said was true though, and I'd rather spend time with you anyways."

"We won't be together forever, Kuro."

"What if I promised you?"

The pair pauses, and Kuroo wraps his friend up in a hug. Kenma stiffens at the sudden gesture, but he leans into it cautiously.

"I promise to be with you forever," Kuroo whispers. "You can think of that every time we hug, okay?"

Then Kenma relaxes, and nods his head.

When Kenma enters high school, he expects it to go the same way as junior high.

But high school is a different experience on its own.

Kuroo has risen to the top of his class in just one year. While he may appear lazy, Kenma knows he works harder than the rest.

In the year Kuroo waited for Kenma to arrive, the older one shed all traces of his shy former self. Now, only in his second year of high school, he snarks whenever people tease his hair, and laughs loudly in the hallway.

Kuroo begins taking Kenma out of class whenever possible. The friends eat lunch in the hallway together, or Kuroo comes looking for Kenma during breaks.

But between all that happens, it's always just _them._

Everything and nothing seems to happen on their walks home.

Sometimes their walks are just walks. They talk about school, homework, and life in general.

Other times, their walks include hand holding and hugging. Neither of them knows how it started.

On one of their hand holding walks towards the beginning of Kenma's first year of high school, Kuroo pauses and releases his grip.

"I want you to join the volleyball team," he says. "I know you aren't interested in sports, but you practice with me all the time, and have super good observation skills."

Yes, Kenma rarely takes interest in sports, preferring to kept to himself and his gaming console. But...

"Okay, Kuro. I'll try."

Volleyball practice is suffocating.

Unwanted criticism comes as quickly as Kenma tosses balls. Then after practice it's "Kozume, clean this" or "Kozume, pick up that." The captain even points him out in the halls.

Kuroo and Kenma take normal walks more often now than ever. Their bodies ache from jumping and hitting.

They also start picking a house to study at, and then laying together in bed for the night. Studying with a partner seems to help them both.

"Don't give up."

Kuroo slowly reads the English phrase aloud at his house one night, and then translates it for Kenma to scribble down.

When Kenma lifts his head, he sees Kuroo with a face of concern.

"What?" the younger one asks.

"You're not going to quit, are you?"

Kenma blinks as he realizes what his friend is asking, and bites his bottom lip.

"What are you talking about?" he lies, reaching for the English textbook. "We need to study, come on."

But Kuroo's large hands already lay flat on the book, keeping it in place.

"Are you planning to quit volleyball, Kenma?"

Kuroo looks him dead in the eye, and all Kenma can do is stare back.

"Kenma." Kuroo breathes the word slowly, and lets it dissolve into the air.

They're still two feet apart, but everything feels much closer. Suddenly their ankles are intertwined under the table, and Kuroo's hand is drawing a piece of Kenma's hair behind his ear.

"The first and second years think you're a great setter, and so do I," Kuroo says quietly. "So please, don't quit. Don't give up."

He says the last words in English, and then breaks their eye contact to return to his notes.

On the weekend before the last week of school, Kenma calls Kuroo over.

"What's so important that you had to _ask_ me to come?" Kuroo asks, walking through the front door. "I would've come anyways."

Kenma steps out of the bathroom with a box in hand.

"I... want you to dye my hair," he whispers.

The friends quiet, and allow the request to sink in.

"Dye your hair? Kenma, what?" Kuroo takes the box and inspects it. It's for blonde hair.

Kenma is half hiding behind the bathroom door, his right foot circling the tiled floor nervously.

"This isn't because the team said you stand out too much, is it?" Kuroo asks, pushing the door open and walking inside. "This is going to make you stand out even more."

Kenma ignores the question. "Will you help me?"

Kuroo sighs, but he's smiling. Leaning against the bathroom wall with crossed arms, he replies, "Sure thing."

Kuroo is lying on Kenma's bed, waiting for the latter to come out of the shower with his new hair.

It shouldn't be long now, Kuroo thinks.

Sure enough, Kenma soon walks into the room with one of Kuroo's red hoodies thrown over him. The item reaches just past his knees, so there's no telling whether anything is underneath.

Then Kuroo glances at his friend's head for the reveal, and takes a small gasp. Kenma looks so soft, so delicate, so...

"Pretty," he blurts out.

The next second he's curling up on the bed in embarrassment.

The weight of the mattress shifts as Kenma sits. Kuroo forces himself up, and tries to look Kenma in the eye.

"I'm guessing I look alright?" Kenma smirks.

Kuroo blushes up to his ears, and turns away.

"Kuro," Kenma whispers. "It's okay if you think I'm pretty."

He uses a hand to spin his friend's head back.

And then they're just sitting there. Kuroo's legs dangling over the side of the bed. Kenma's feet hiding beneath the hoodie, his hand still on Kuroo's chin.

Before either of them know it, Kuroo leans forward to press his lips against Kenma's, grabbing hold of the red hoodie at his chest.

Kenma smiles lazily against the surprise kiss, letting his hand trace over Kuroo's jawline, and then slowly traveling fingers down his friend's neck.

Kuroo shudders from the touch, but manages to swing his legs onto the bed and wrap them around Kenma's waist.

A hum escapes Kenma as Kuroo's hands tug on now blonde locks, his mouth moving to bite the younger one's lower lip slightly.

They're both grinning now, tilting their heads to try and get closer than they already are.

There's a sudden pause in their actions as Kenma seems to think something over, but it fades quickly when he licks Kuroo's lips and pulls away.

The friends drop their arms, and both breathe heavily.

After a moment, Kuroo's eyes widen. "Did we just- Did I just-"

Kenma's hands are on his arms to calm him down.

"Relax, Kuro. It's fine."

"But, aren't you uncomf-"

Kenma presses against him again, and Kuroo gets quiet.

They're officially dating by the start of Kuroo's third year.

Dating your best friend, it turns out, isn't too different from regular life when you already spend every day together. The only difference Kenma can think of is the additional playful touching and kissing that comes with.

Kenma now plays as Nekoma's official setter, and Kuroo takes on the role of team captain.

This week, Kenma knows to expect limited contact with Kuroo. It's time for _Nationals,_ after all.

Practice runs long and hard each day, each member of the team preparing hard for the games to come.

It's not rare to see Kuroo look so determined about vollyeball, but something is different this time. This time, losing a game means stepping off the court for the last time in high school, and Kuroo wants to stay on that court for as long as possible.

They battle game after game, Kuroo's pep talk engrained in his mind.

_"We're like the blood in our veins."_

A serve speeds across the net.

_"We must flow without stopping."_

Players receive balls that take flight.

_"Keep the oxygen moving..."_

The white orb eventually always ends up in Kenma's small palms as his brain works it's observations.

_"...and your mind working."_

Kenma aims at Kuroo, who waits with a raised hand.

_BAM!_

When the final ball falls on Nekoma's side of the net, the spectators are holding their breaths.

Then everything seems to go in slow motion. Kuroo sees the opponent's side errupt in shouts and cheers of victory, but his ears ring. His teammates are looking around the court in dull shock. The dull shock that comes when _they've lost._

Kenma nudges Kuroo's back, and points to the end of the court. The teams are lining up to take their bows.

Kuroo makes his way silently, and does his part.

The walk off the court is a heavy one. The third years look at their feet and get comforting pats from the younger players.

In the locker room, Kuroo slams his locker shut to grab attention.

"Nekoma!" he starts. Everyone's eyes are on him. Listening. Waiting.

"We did our best out there!" he shouts energetically, hoping to raise the team spirit. "We were able to make it far this year, but we still have room to improve. Let's train even harder when we get back!"

He holds out a fisted hand, and waits for others to do the same.

Throwing his free arm over his members' backs, Kuroo gets ready to shout.

"One, two, three!"

The team has formed a circle, ready to join in, and they push their fists down in determined unison. "Nekoma!"

The members' energy has returned by the time the team is leaving the locker room.

Kuroo walks out last, and Kenma waits for him quietly.

"I know you're upset, Kuro," the fake blond says.

"I'm fine." Kuroo is shouldering his bag and walking away.

"Kuro." Even though Kuroo is taller by 18 and a half centimeters, Kenma suddenly has both hands on his boyfriend's shoulders. "If you're upset, tell me."

They're standing in front of the locker room door, the team waiting for them near the small shops further away.

Kenma begins to speak when there's no response, but Kuroo stops him by leaning down to rest his head on the shorter one's shoulder.

Thin arms wrap around the raven haired man, and Kuroo allows himself to let go of the breath knew he'd been holding in.

Kuroo knows he is NOT a cryer. But right then, it's just him and Kenma.

When a few tears find their way onto Kenma's shoulder, he doesn't pull away in disgust. Instead, he stays where he is, hugging Kuroo tightly.

Eventually Kenma is patting and kissing Kuroo's head softly, until they untangle abruptly when they hear, "Kuroo Tetsurou?!"

"Who is that?"

Kenma glances behind Kuroo, and sees a blonde player in a red and yellow volleyball uniform running towards them.

Kuroo is quick to wipe his eyes before straightening and turning around.

While turning, he trips on Kenma's feet, and the pair tumbles to the floor, Kuroo splayed on top of Kenma.

Their faces are almost touching, but Kuroo ignores it, and quickly stands up to check the hallway where the player came from.

While Kenma lifts himself, a large blush spreads onto his cheeks, and the blonde player arrives.

"Tetsurou?" the player repeats, the sublte glare in his eyes directed at the flustered Kenma. "Is it really you?"

Kuroo gives his attention to the mysterious player, the fragile moments from just a few seconds ago temporarily forgotten.

"Of course it's really me," Kuroo says, smirking as he bends down to the blonde player's height. "And who are you?"

The blonde backs away as he says slowly, "I'm Saito Haru, remember me?"

Kuroo's eyes widen, and he scans the player up and down.

"Haru? Saito _Haru?_ From when we were kids??"

"I've been wanting to meet you again, after ten years, but," Haru gives Kenma a pitiful glance, "you're clearly busy."

He turns to leave, but Kuroo dashes ahead to keep him still.

"Wait! Why would you want to see me after all this time? It's been ten years."

Kenma appears at Kuroo's side, and Haru taps his feet in visible agitation.

"I just thought I'd get some answers if I saw you again," Haru replies, looking at the wall to the right.

"What answers?" Kuroo presses. "Did I leave something behind after I moved?"

Haru gulps and responds quietly. "You left _me_ behind..."

The three of them stand there silently as Kuroo processes what Haru said.

"I left without saying goodbye to you, didn't I?" Kuroo realizes.

When Haru turns to look at him, he's angry.

"Yes, you did," he snaps, taking a step towards Kenma. "But you clearly have better things going on in your life now!"

Haru grabs Kenma by his shirt collar, and slams the boy against the wall.

Haru retorts, "You think you can replace me with this _fake_ blonde? I bet he's not even good at anything."

His right knee gets planted in Kenma's stomach as Kuroo tries to intervene, and Kenma gasps loudly.

"Haru, stop!" Kuroo yells. "Just tell me what's wrong!"

Haru puts his leg down, but keeps a threatening fist close to Kenma's chest.

"You wanna know what's wrong?" he yells. "You left me behind, and you didn't even say anything! Do you know what it feels like for a child to have their best friend taken away?"

Haru turns to Kenma with a growl. "Nevermind, you DON'T know what it's like. Your friend is still with you."

His fists find Kenma twice, and the victim yelps and calls out.

"Kuro!"

Haru doesn't stop, and Kenma cries further.

"K-Kuro! _Please..!"_

Kenma's crying through the pain, and Kuroo can't. He can't just stand there watching his boyfriend get beat up by some maniac childhood friend.

"Haru, stop! STOP!" Kuroo gets between the two blondes, pulling them apart and dragging Kenma behind him.

Haru has a wanting, devastating, look in his eyes, but he doesn't lash back out.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Kuroo yells, aware that the surrounding people are beginning to take notice by now.

Haru puts his head down, and his shoulders sink up and down. For a moment, Kuroo thinks he's laughing. But then he hears sobs, and gets to the correct conclusion.

"Haru--"

"You want to know what's wrong with me?" Haru snaps his head up, tears rolling down his cheeks. "You wanna know... what's wrong..?"

Hands cover his eyes, and he turns away. "I don't know..."

A few seconds of sobbing pass before he continues.

"I-I liked you, Tetsurou! I liked you when we were kids, and... I'm so confused, and lost, and--"

Kuroo takes a quick step away from Kenma to hug Haru tightly.

Desperate for something to hang on to, Haru clings to Kuroo's chest like it's the end of the world.

"It's okay," Kuroo whispers. "You're okay."

"Saito?" comes a voice from the crowd. "Haru, are you here?"

Someone with the same red and yellow uniform pushes past, and his eyes widen when he sees his teammate. The number 1 flaunts on his jersey, and Kuroo assumes he's the captain of Haru's team.

Kuroo takes a few steps back and returns to Kenma, allowing the captain to console his member.

Then the red and yellow pair walk away into the halls, Haru looking back. This time, his look isn't angry or jealous, but peaceful. Then his captain points at a hallway to the right, and they dissolve into the crowd.

A whimper catches Kuroo's ear, and he spins around to see Kenma clutching his chest in pain.

"Kenma! We need to get you to the infirmary."

Kenma has crushed ribs, along with a large bruise to match.

"You're lucky that boy didn't hit you harder, or you could've ended up much worse!" the nurse says while patching him up.

As she walks out of the room to let Kenma rest, Kuroo gives her their thanks before laying himself on the hospital bed as well.

"Kuro..." Kenma grumbles. "Get off, you're not the injured one here."

Kuroo hums. "I had to see you get hurt. Don't you know how much that injured my heart?"

He grabs Kenma's small hand and places it above the thump in his chest.

"I'm really sorry, Kenma," Kuroo whispers. "I'm sorry you got hurt."

"At least that means I don't have to practice now," Kenma jokes.

Kuroo's eyes widen. "Don't you dare say that. Just watch, once you're better, I'm going to make you--"

Kenma stops him with a quick kiss. "Make me what, huh?" he smirks.

Before the older one can respond, Kenma's showering him with more light affection. Squeezing Kuroo's hand, messing with his crazy hair.

Laughing his loud laugh, Kuroo gives in, and kisses Kenma until they're both out of breath.

"I think I love you sometimes, you know," Kuroo whispers.

Kenma quits fiddling with the hem of Kuroo's shirt. "W-what did you just say?"

"I love you, Kenma."

The blonde turns beet red, and he leans his face into the crook of Kuroo's neck to hide.

"I love you too," he squeaks.

Kuroo laughs. "Say it louder. Come on, you're going to have to get confident about it someday."

Kenma squirms, but raises his lips to Kuroo's ear anyways. "I love you, Kuro."

He deliberately uses the nickname to get back at his boyfriend, before promptly kicking said boyfriend off the small hospital bed.

"Leave, I have to rest!" Kenma shoos Kuroo away just as the door opens.

The entire volleyball team is standing there with their silly gifts and get well soon cards.

No one speaks, until Lev crashes through everybody with a giant black cat balloon.

"Kenma-san! Kenma, Kenma, Kenma-san!!!"

He rushes to the bed quickly, and begins dropping questions left and right. "Are you okay? Who did this to you? Do you like my balloon? Are you a cat or a dog person?"

The rest of the team walks in laughing, and places their gifts and cards around a small table in corner of the room.

Kenma groans. "I just asked Kuro to leave, and now you're all here? How am I supposed to get any rest?"

Kai smiles. "We just came to make sure you were okay. Come on, guys, let's go."

The team leaves, but Kuroo stays behind.

"Kuro..." Kenma warns.

The tall man stretches to his full height, and places both hands on his hips. "Nope, I'm here to be your personal hospital entertainer."

Kenma sighs. He would be getting no rest tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed my fic, please be sure to leave kudos and/or a comment!
> 
> I have also created edits for this fic over on Haikyuu Amino! Check them out here: http://aminoapps.com/p/a1gaver
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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